Shakti Anand chose acting over a corporat

He is guy-next-door image and sensitive performances make Shakti Anand hot property on the small screen. With Ek Ladki Anjaani Si on Sony moving on the right track, the actor is on a new high. Shakti Anand may not play author backed roles in television serials. But the actor is not complaining and says he is happy as long as his character is well-defined.

Despite the fact that both Kanchi Kaul and you play the lead in Ek Ladki Anjaani Si, don't you feel she has an author-backed role?
Frankly, I never had an authorbacked role in my entire career. Here, the title itself suggests, that the story is based on the female lead. Even in Saara Akash it was Sai Deodhar, around whom the story revolved. But at the same time, my character was well defined. It's a challenge for an actor to make a mark even in a minuscule role, which I think I have managed to do so far.

Ek Ladki Anjaani Si has been inspired from a Venezuelan telenovella, which had many bold scenes. Did you see the original to understand your character?
No, I haven't seen the original. I consciously avoided it because I believe I would have got influenced by the same. I only heard the narration and perceived the character according to my ability. As for the bold theme, the serial has been adapted according to Indian sensibilities.

While Ek Ladki... is fiction, Crime Patrol is non-fiction. Which one do you prefer?
Well, both belong to different genres and both are equally challenging. While the former gives me a certain degree of creative satisfaction, Crime Patrol being a reality show, acting takes a backseat. I see it as a social commitment.

You left a high-profile corporate job in a multinational company for the unpredictable world of acting. Do you believe it was worth the risk?
I enjoy the thrill of taking risks. While working in Delhi, I got involved in theatre and the acting bug bit me, so here I was quitting my job and catching the next flight to Mumbai. The gamble paid off!

Do you have any new projects in hand?
It's just been a couple of months since Ek Ladki has been on air. The viewers are watching me on all weeknights since Ek Ladki Anjaani Si and Crime Patrol are dominating the prime time slots on Sony. More than this will be quite an overdose, won't it (laughs)? So it's not a bad idea to give myself and the viewers a weekend break.

You and Sai have been married for almost a year now. Do you plan to start a family soon?
Well, both of us have such hectic schedules that we hardly realised how this one year passed by. Our anniversary is on January 31. We plan to go for a long holiday soon. And then, you never know...!

By Televisionpoint.com Team